The jet hit the tops of three buildings in the central city, Defense Ministry officials said, setting more than a dozen houses on fire. At least one of the missiles the plane was carrying exploded during the crash.

At least seven civilians died on the ground, two of them children, and the crash injured 21 more people, a senior Defense Ministry official said. Three members of the military who were aboard the jet also died. They were on a training mission when it went down.

More explosions rang out after the crash.

Dozens of security force details, ambulances and fire trucks were deployed to the site.

"We are working on evacuating hundreds of residents from the area of the crash to ensure the safety of civilians," the official said.

In November, a military cargo plane caught fire and crashed in the city, killing 10 people.